Bush pilot options?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: on the internet
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Actually I am. On the job I am the chameleon. Even the racist sexist captains who have F all for personality like me oddly enough..
Last edited by soakingpilot; 13th Sep 2016 at 20:32.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Timbukthree
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gosh diddly darn! So, you are at the age of 43, and you've never achieved a powered aircraft licence? Hmm... Well, first obtain a PPL/CPL through what ever means are morally and ethically possible, and then instruct for 18 months in an area of predominately marginal weather. Bellingham, Washington comes to mind. Then get back to me.
Signed, Ned Flanders.
Signed, Ned Flanders.
Last edited by evansb; 14th Sep 2016 at 10:51.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Alaska
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good grief, people. The guy only asked about ideas for part time flying. Some of the responses here remind me of why, after jumpseating for a couple of years with airlines while flying for a bush operator myself years ago, I swore I'd never become an airline pilot.
MonsterZero, rest assured that YES, there are plenty of the kind of part time opportunities out there you're looking for, and with the pilot shortage in the airliners, those opportunities will only get more numerous over time, as the "time builders" doing it just to get flight time move up. I myself started out similarly- worked for years doing engineering/IT, flew for fun, and took my time getting my ratings. At some point, I got bored with the desk job, and started looking around for what I could do flying. I started out with part time contract copilot flying, and was fortunate enough to have ever-increasing opportunities to build on that as time/experience increased. I'm now in the left seat of a 737.
Obviously, you will need to start off with a powered license. Work your way up to getting your instrument rating, multi-engine ratings, and commercial license. If you're not in a rush and have the money to be picky, you have the latitude to take your time, enjoy the new knowledge of aviation that comes with every new skill, and NETWORK in the process. If you're in a hurry, you can go somewhere and plunk down a credit card and they'll push you through the whole process quickly. For someone who actually enjoys aviation and learning, a big flight school mill will probably feel rushed and condensed. Kind of like the "Cliff Notes" for getting your licenses. Getting your instructor licenses as well would give you lots of additional opportunities, but there's a lot available out there for just a commercial/multi/instrument pilot. The key is to have your licenses and be ready for the opportunities when they arise. With your new-found ratings, go hang out at the local airports, look what they do out there, ask questions, and be visible. You might be surprised how many folks might be interested in someone to fill in, especially when they have a warm body with the right qualifications standing right in front of them. Don't forget that your "old" non-flying skills are still valuable- I found it surprising how many places seemed as excited about my computer experience as my flying experience. Lots of seasonal work up here in Alaska. Much like other places the key to getting it is to actually be here. For me, that involved buying a ticket up in early spring, and walking around the airport visiting operators and talking to people. I learned a huge amount just in that process- even folks that weren't hiring went out of their way to give me advice and refer me to other places. I also discovered that there were places that I definitely would not want to work at.
Here are some kinds of operators that I've seen in the recent past who were actually looking for part-time pilots:
- multitude of flight schools looking for instructors
- sky diving school
- charter operators (may need higher flight hours, depending on aircraft and type of charters)
- sightseeing operators
- part time contract co-pilots in multi-engine planes
Again, the key is to (a) get your licenses and ratings, (b) actually go to the places that hire the kind of positions you're looking for (c) explore, ask questions and be visible.
Good luck- it can feel like a long process and somewhat artibrary, but I think once you get your licenses and ratings, you'll be surprised how quickly things can fall into place.
MonsterZero, rest assured that YES, there are plenty of the kind of part time opportunities out there you're looking for, and with the pilot shortage in the airliners, those opportunities will only get more numerous over time, as the "time builders" doing it just to get flight time move up. I myself started out similarly- worked for years doing engineering/IT, flew for fun, and took my time getting my ratings. At some point, I got bored with the desk job, and started looking around for what I could do flying. I started out with part time contract copilot flying, and was fortunate enough to have ever-increasing opportunities to build on that as time/experience increased. I'm now in the left seat of a 737.
Obviously, you will need to start off with a powered license. Work your way up to getting your instrument rating, multi-engine ratings, and commercial license. If you're not in a rush and have the money to be picky, you have the latitude to take your time, enjoy the new knowledge of aviation that comes with every new skill, and NETWORK in the process. If you're in a hurry, you can go somewhere and plunk down a credit card and they'll push you through the whole process quickly. For someone who actually enjoys aviation and learning, a big flight school mill will probably feel rushed and condensed. Kind of like the "Cliff Notes" for getting your licenses. Getting your instructor licenses as well would give you lots of additional opportunities, but there's a lot available out there for just a commercial/multi/instrument pilot. The key is to have your licenses and be ready for the opportunities when they arise. With your new-found ratings, go hang out at the local airports, look what they do out there, ask questions, and be visible. You might be surprised how many folks might be interested in someone to fill in, especially when they have a warm body with the right qualifications standing right in front of them. Don't forget that your "old" non-flying skills are still valuable- I found it surprising how many places seemed as excited about my computer experience as my flying experience. Lots of seasonal work up here in Alaska. Much like other places the key to getting it is to actually be here. For me, that involved buying a ticket up in early spring, and walking around the airport visiting operators and talking to people. I learned a huge amount just in that process- even folks that weren't hiring went out of their way to give me advice and refer me to other places. I also discovered that there were places that I definitely would not want to work at.
Here are some kinds of operators that I've seen in the recent past who were actually looking for part-time pilots:
- multitude of flight schools looking for instructors
- sky diving school
- charter operators (may need higher flight hours, depending on aircraft and type of charters)
- sightseeing operators
- part time contract co-pilots in multi-engine planes
Again, the key is to (a) get your licenses and ratings, (b) actually go to the places that hire the kind of positions you're looking for (c) explore, ask questions and be visible.
Good luck- it can feel like a long process and somewhat artibrary, but I think once you get your licenses and ratings, you'll be surprised how quickly things can fall into place.
Last edited by aJ_alaska; 27th Sep 2016 at 04:10.
